Fritz petermann



Patented Apr. ll, I899.

F. PETERM ANN. GUITAR DITHERN.

(Application filcd Dac. 9, 1898.)

(No Model.)

WITNESSES;

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFF CE.

FRITZ PETERMANN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

VGU'ITAR-CITHERN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 622,822, dated April11, 1899.

Application filed December 9, 1898. derial No. 698,738. (No model.)

To (0Z7 whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRITZ PETERMANN, a citizen of Germany, residing inthe city of New York, in the borough of Manhattan and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Guitar-Oitherns, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in the musical instrumentor guitarcithern forwhich Letters Patent of the United States weregranted to Frederick Menzenhauer on May 29, 1894, No. 520,651, saidimprovements being designed with the view of enlarging the scope of saidmusical instrument and applying the same principle ofconstruction--namely, an open scale of leading strings arranged at oneside of the soundingboard and a number of groups of accompanying-stringsarranged at the other side of the sounding-board, the strings of eachgroup being tuned to the intervals of separate harmonic chords for theleading-strings, in such a manner, however, that the size of theinstrument is enlarged and a concert-cithern with all the advantages ofthe guitar-cithern produced.

The invention consists of a music'alinstrument or guitar-cithernprovided with an open scale of leading-strings and a number of groups ofaccompanyin g-strin gs arranged parallel and in the same planetherewith, each system of strings extending beyond the other system,respectively, at opposite ends of the instrument, and, further, in amusical instrument or guitar-cithern provided with an open scale ofleading-strings arranged longitudinally of the sounding-board at one endof the same and a number of groups of accom panying-strings arranged inthe same plane therewith at the other end of the soundingbo'ard, thegroups of accompanying-strings being tuned to the intervals of separateharmonic chords for the leadingstrings and e11- tering the system ofleading-strings at the inner end of said system, and, further, incertain details of construction and combinations of parts to be morefully described hereinafter and finally pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1' represents a plan view of myimproved musical instrument or guitar-cithern, and Fi 2 is a verticallongitudinal section drawn on line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the sounding-board of myimproved guitar-eithern, the general shape and size of which is that ofthe well-known concert-cithern. An

open scale of strings O is arranged at the,

right-hand side of the instrument, while a number of strings O arearranged, according to the number of chords, in groups of four at theleft-hand end of the instrument. The strings Oof each chord are tuned soas to be in harmony with the corresponding strings O of the open scale.The leading or melody strings are stretched over a scale-rib D at theright-hand end of the instrument, while the opposite ends of theleadingstrings are passed over grooved straining-pinsf and attached tosmall fastening-screws f that are passed through the sounding-board andinto a stilfeniug-brace f, extending diagonally across thesupporting-frame of the soundingboard. Thetuning-pinsf for theleadingstrings are arranged outside of the scale-rib D at the right-handend of the instrument.

At the left-hand end of the instrument is arranged an independentscale-rib g for the groups of accompanying-strings, said scalerib beingprovided with straining-pinst' for said strings, while the tuning-pins gfor the accoinpanying-strings are arranged outside of the scale-rib g atthe left-hand end of the instrument, as shown clearlyin Figs. 1 and 2.The inner ends of the accompanying-strings C are stretched over the endsof grooved straining-pins g and attached to fasteningscrews 9 which passthrough the soundingboard into a transverse brace g of the frame of theinstrument.

The body of the instrument is made of such length that the entire seriesof leading-strings are arranged in parallel line with the groups ofaccompanying-strings and in the same or approximately the same planetherewith and in such a manner that each system of strings enters theother system at the inner end of the same, as shown in the drawings.This permits the playing of the leading-strings at the right-hand end ofthe instrument in the usual manner, while the groups ofaccompanying-strings are sounded at the left-hand end by the fingers atthat end of the instrument. The different groups of accompanying-strings C furnish the accompaniment for the leading-strings or openscale and produce by the vibration of any one group a full andharmonious accompaniment. to the leadingstrings. The chord-strings C arearranged, as stated, in groups, there being four strings in each group,of which one is the leading'or bass string of the group. Below therighthand end of the system of leading-strings is arranged a strip (Z,provided with the numbers and notation of the leading-strings,whilebelow the left-hand end of the groups of aceompanyingstrings is arrangeda similarstrip (1, provided with the numbers of the chords and themusical notation corresponding to the aceompanying-strings. The piecesof music which are used for playing are not printed in the ordinarymusical notation; but the notation is preferably the generally-acceptedone used for the instruments known as guitarcitherns," in which thestring of the open scale and the corresponding chord are indicated bynumbers corresponding to the numbers on the strips (Z and d.

The strings are preferably arranged longitudinally of the body of theinstrument.

Above the tuninginnsf for the leadingstrings at the right-hand -end ofthe instrument is ar 'anged a restboard F, which is attached by hooks hor other fastening devices to the right-hand end of the instrument andwhich serves as a rest for the right hand in playing theleading-strings. A small restboard (not shown in the drawings) may beused at the left-hand end, although in this case it is not so necessary,as the free space between the groups of aecompanying-strings and theedge of the body of the instrument can be used as a rest for the lefthand. The sounding-board A can be supported either on a simple woodenframe, as illustrated, or on a frame made of case metal, in the natureof the metallic frames of a pianoforte, whereby the tone of theinstrument is rendered more sonorous and bell-like and the so-calledwoody tone is avoided.

The instrument combines the advantages of the guitar-eithern with thefullness of tone and senority of an old-style concertcithern, enablingthereby the guitar-cithern also to be built and furnished as aconcert-cithern,which heretofore was not accomplished.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters 1atent 1. A musical instrument orguitar-cithern, providedwith an open scale of leadin g-strin gs and a number of groups ofaccompanyingstrings arranged parallel and in the same plane therewith,each system of strings eX tending beyond the other system,respeetively,at opposite ends of the instrument, substantially as set forth.

2. A musical instrument orguitar-cithern, provided with an open scale ofleading-strings arranged longitudinally of the sounding-board atone endof the same, and a number of groups of aceompan ying-strin gs arrangedparallel therewith at the other end of the sounding board, the groups ofaccompanying-strings being tuned to the intervals of separate harmonicchords for the leading-strings, and entering the system ofleading-strings at the inner end of and in approximately the same planewith the same, and each system extending at its outer end beyond theother system of strings, substantially as set forth.

3. A musical instrument or gnitar-cithern, provided with an open scaleof leading-strings and a number of groups of accompanyingstringsarranged parallel and in approximately the same plane therewith,independent scaleribs at both ends of the instrument, one for theleading-strings and the other for the accompanying-strings, tuning-pinsfor the leadingstrings near the scale-rib for the same, a separate groupof tuning-pins near the scale-rib for the aceom panying-strings, bracesbeneath the sounding-board of the instrument, intermediate of thescalen-ib ends of the string systems, s'trainingpins arranged in saidbraces, and fastening-screws arranged in said braces for attachment ofthe inner ends of the leading and accompanying strings, substantially asset forth.

4. A musical instrument or guitar-cithern, consisting of asounding-board, a frame for said sounding-board, separate scale-ribs atopposite ends of the instrument, tuning-pins adjacent to said scale-ribsrespectively for the leading and accompanying strings, transverse bracesintermediate of said scale-ribs, an open scale of leading-stringsapplied to the scale-rib and tuning-pins at one end of the instrumentand to straining-pins and fastening-screws applied to one of saidbraces, and a number of groups of accompanying-strings arranged paralleland in the same plane with the leading-strings and applied to thescalerib and tuning-pins at the opposite end of the instrument and tostraining-pins and fasteningscrews applied to a second brace of theframe, substantially as set forth.

5. A musical instrumentor guitar-cithern, provided with an open scale oflead ing-strings arranged longitudinally of the son ud ing-board at oneend of the same,and a number of groups of accompanying-strings arrangedat the opposite end of the sounding-board, the leading-strings enteringthe system of accompanying-strings at the inner end of said system andeach system extending at its outer end beyond the other system, andtuning-pins for each system of strings respectively at each end of thesounding-board, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention Ihave signed myname in pres ence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRITZ PETERMANN.

Vitnesses:

PAUL GonPnL, M. HENRY Wnnrrznn.

ICO

